Self-alining fan-wheel



IVI. F. PHELPS.

SELF ALINING FAN WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED JAN.20, 1920.

Patented July 6, 1920.

mmh 4 UNIT STATES PATENT itmfi.

MORTON FRANK PI-IELPS, OF LITTLE RGCK, ARKANSAS, ASSIGN'OR TO PHELPS MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, LIMITED, 0F LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, A COPAR'TNERSHIP CONSISTING OF FRANK PHELPS AND MORTON F. PI-IELPS.

SELF-ALINING FAN-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jury 6,1920.

'Application led January 20, 1920. Serial No. 352,822.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, MonroN F. PHELrs, a citizen of the United States, resident of Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 4Sdf-Alining FanlVheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to blast or suction fans used principally for handling sawdust, sha'vings, cotton-seed hulls, and the like, where the material to be handled is passed through the casing or acket in which the fan wheel is located. It has been found in the operation of fans of this type that when a still-balance, so-called, has been obtained, the fan when operated at normal speed will, through the effect of centrifugal force on the blades, be out of balance and will not run true, even though there may be a perfect balance of the parts when the fan is at rest. t

The object, therefore, of my invention is to provide a fan of such construction that the blades when properly adjusted for still-balance, will automatically balance themselves when the fan is in motion.

A further object is to provide a fan wheel of such construction that a broken blade or spoke can be removed and a new one substituted without disturbing the other spokes, or the hub of the fan wheel.

Other objects of the invention will appear from .the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings. forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a fan wheel and casing embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the manner of mounting the fan spokes on the hub of the frame.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing, 2 represents the fan casing, 3 the shaft therefor, having bearings 4:, and 5 the casing or jacket within which the fan is inclosed. 6 is the hub of the fan wheel and 7 a web integral thereon, provided preferably at one end of the hub and having radial flanges 8 which are preferably integral with the web 7 and are equally spaced on the periphery of the hub. `The spokes which l prefer to employ in this fan are composed of straps 9 and 10 of suitable material, placed face to face with the fan plates 11 held between their outer ends, the inner portions of said straps having offsets 12 formed therein to allow the straps to straddle the webs S. I prefer to secure these straps to the webs at two points by means of bolts 13 fit-tino' snugly in holes in said straps at the outer portions of the flanges, and similar bolts 13 are fitted snugly in holes in the inner portions of the straps and passing through slots let in the inner portions of the flanges 8 on the hub. The spokes may have, therefore, a slight oscillatina movement on the bolts 13, transversely to the plane of rotation of the wheel, sufficient to allow them to automatically find y a running .balance when the fan has been set in motion. Each bolt 13a is provided with suitable lock nuts 15 by means of which said spokes may be held with suflicient friction against the web 8 to prevent it from tilting under its own weight. rllhe friction, however, is insufficient to hold the spokes rigidly when the fan has been set in'revolution, and the spokes and blades, while the fan is revolving, may tilt slightly onthe outer bolts or pivots 13 and automatically adjust themselvesA to a running balance. By this means undesirable vibrations of the fan and wear of the bearing will be eliminated.

When the fan wheel has been run a sufficient length of time to bring the parts of the wheel into complete running balance, the bolts 13L may be tigl'itened up and thereafter the running balance will be maintained. Should the wheel from any cause get out of running balance the bolts 13'LL may be loosened and the wheel run for a time. The spokes will automatically adjust themselves in position to restore said balance.

Whenever desired, the bolts may be removed from any spoke and a blade removed from the hub without the necessity of disturbing the other spokes, or removing the hub from its supporting shaft.

The details of the construction may be varied. in many particulars without depart ing from the scope of my invention, as eX- pressedrin the following claims.

I claim as my invention: i I

l. The combination, in a fan wheel, with a suitable hub, of a series of spokes pivotally supported upon said hub, and capable of swinging in either direction transversely to the plane of the wheel, a fan blade secured to each of said spokes, and means for `locking each spoke in any desired position within its limit of movement.

`2. The combination,- in a fan wheel, witha suitable hub, of a series of flanges projecting radially therefrom, a spoke pivotally supported upon each ange and capable of swinging laterally in either direction transversely to the plane of the wheel, a fan blade Laramie supported upon each spoke, and means for'Y locking each spoke in any position within the limit of its movement.

3. The combination, in a fan Wheel, withV a`VV suitable hub, of a series ofv Vindependent spokes, a fan blade arranged upon' Yeach ytransversely to the plane of the wheel and said wheel will automatically be brought into the running balance upon rotation thereof. Y l 1 ln Witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of Jan., v1920.

MORTON FRANK PHELPS. Witness: Y

J. .Bn1rToN. 

